by Dr Bruce Copley

INTRODUCTION

It is our contention that at a deep level, every human being yearns for peace and harmony. Because of past relationship experiences and the many associated wounds, rejections and disappointments, we are frightened and wary and discount the dream of authentic community as merely visionary. However there are ways and means by which people can come back together to form a genuine community. In our unique community building learningshops delegates explore and discover new ways of communicating, listening, observing, and valuing diversity. In this way, hope can be made real again and the vision of a real community of people can become a reality. Community building empowers people in a fragmented world, to discover new ways of being together and serves as a catalyst for individuals, groups, collectives and organisations to:

• Communicate authentically
• Deal constructively and creatively with difficult and stressful issues
• Bridge differences with integrity and openness
• Relate with love and respect

A community may be defined as a group of 3 or more people who, regardless of the diversity of their backgrounds, have been able to accept and transcend their differences, enabling them to communicate openly and effectively and to work together towards common goals.

Achieving community is not always easy. Ideally this process should be viewed as an adventure and while there are usually many challenges, bear in mind that we learn through adventure. By encouraging and enabling participants to give up some of their individual defences and habitual behaviours a group gradually becomes a “safe place”. Personal growth, healing and self-discovery can occur in this atmosphere of acceptance and understanding.

Any group of people can experience genuine community provided they understand and practise the necessary demands and responsibilities. Community making is about acceptance. In a world that has virtually forgotten the glory of what it means to be fully human, it is evident that there is a pressing need to discover and explore ways in which we can live together more productively, joyfully and peacefully.

It is worth pointing out that the efficiency and success of any organisation is not ultimately determined by investments in its HARDWARE (buildings, equipment, machines, property) or SOFTWARE ( systems, policies, procedures, contracts) but rather by how much and how wisely it investments in its WETWARE namely people and their blood, sweat and tears. It is widely recognised and accepted that “when all is said and done”, people are the cornerstone of any business large or small. Unfortunately it is also true THAT MUCH MORE IS SAID THAN DONE. Also bear in mind that wisely chosen training programmes should not be viewed as a costly ” expense ” but rather as a valuable capital investment simply because people are always an organisations most valuable asset.

Although we present a huge variety of different programmes ranging from pre-schoolers to senior citizens.without question our most popular and successful interventions are our COMMUNITY BUILDING learningshops that have been both nationally and internationally acclaimed. Many of our clients describe these learningshops as life changing experiences. For others this work constitutes the “missing link” that was felt but never understood and as a consequence, could never be effectively addressed. In some ways this is not surprising given the fact that what we are dealing with here are INTANGIBLES that cannot be measured in conventional ways. What we cannot measure we find extremely difficult to manage and understand and so we either ignore it or pretend to manage it effectively both with disastrous consequences.

What makes our work so different from many other consultants is that our learningshops holistically animate important concepts and principles and ensure that conventional data and information literally and figuratively comes alive in the minds, bodies and hearts of our delegates. One of our clients recently succinctly described our work not simply as one OF a million but rather as one IN a million.

RECOMMENDATIONS

Our results have consistently demonstrated the many benefits associated when people are given the opportunity to learn a great deal about themselves, about each other and what it means to operate in a truly authentic workplace community. What follows are some recommendations based on the success we have had with hundreds of companies/organisations throughout the world over the past 20 years.

PHASE 1: INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF HOLISM AND COMMUNITY BUILDING

Ideally this phase involves a full three day (alternatively a full two day) residential learningshop at an appropriate out-of-town venue. It should commence at 17h00 on a Tuesday afternoon and end at 16h00 on a Friday. This procedure is very important in optimising the learning effect since it fosters a relaxed and receptive mindset and assists the delegates settle into a beautiful natural setting so that they can get off to a flying start on the first day. Ending on Friday provides the all important weekend time for reflection and introspection. Group size should not exceed 30 delegates and preferably an even number to accommodate paired exercises and experiences. We also strongly recommend including other people such as PA’s and admin staff who play an important or key role in the day to day functioning of your organisation. While they may not be at the same level of seniority or remuneration, they nevertheless play a critical “behind the scenes” role and to exclude them from this process would fly in the face of a holistic or systemic approach. Past clients who have taken our advice on this matter, have without exception been astounded by the many immediate workplace benefits that have resulted from doing this.

Once open minded individuals in an organisation have been exposed to one of our learningshops, they can serve as a powerful catalysts or “change agents” in the workplace. Changes resulting from our Community Building Learningshops may vary from moderate to radical and can include things such as a heightened awareness, an expanded ability to see and understand connections and big picture perspectives, enhanced levels of personal mastery, abandoning of harmful addictions, significant increases in creative and innovative thinking and far more balanced and harmonious life styles.

At the end of the Introductory learningshop delegates are invited to draw up and commit to an ACTION PLAN. This involves an 8-week pledge to consistently do one or more things differently that will make a positive difference. Everything possible should be done to provide a working environment that will support these “action plans” and enable people to explore and discover new and better ways of doing things. This greatly facilitates workplace learning, transformation and growth. In this way people discover often to their great surprise, that they can inspire and motivate everyone in their sphere of influence both at work and at home.

PHASE 2: LEARNING FOLLOW THROUGH

It is a well documented scientific fact that less than 10% of delegates who attend conventional conferences, courses and workshops are capable, without additional support and follow through to actually use and practically apply what was presented to them. This alarmingly low “efficiency of learning” characterises the large majority of both formal and informal education and training programmes from pre-primary schools to state of the art learning centres.

Phase 2 involves 3 follow up processes namely Community councils, a second learningshop (Community reunion) and in-house mentoring (Parakletos service).

We use the following 3 processes to optimise the learning potential and ensure that new insights and understandings are grounded, contextualised and most importantly applied in the workplace.

A. COMMUNITY COUNCILS

Short Community councils (30 to 60 minutes) should be scheduled once a week for the first month after the introductory learningshop. These feedback sessions and discussions on the action plans formulated in the first learningshop and the results being achieved in the workplace ARE VERY EFFECTIVE WAYS OF ENSURING CHANGE AND LEARNING. The comprehensive Learning Review of the first learningshop that is compiled and sent to each delegate shortly after the first session, should be included in one of these community councils.

B. COMMUNITY REUNION LEARNINGSHOP

Six to 12 weeks after the initial learningshop we conduct a follow up Community Reunion learningshop to consolidate and deepen the process of community building. This can be a 1- day in-house session or a 2-day intervention done either residentially or non-residentially

C. PARAKLETOS SERVICE

The term PARAKLETOS is a combination of two primary Greek words, para meaning along side or beside and kaleo, meaning to invite, call or summon. This therefore refers to one who walks beside, who encourages, exhorts, entreats or comforts. We use the term PARAKLETOS to describe a system of holistic mentoring.
While our seminars and learningshops create powerful learning experiences outside the workplace, the PARAKLETOS approach takes Cogmotics into the workplace. Relevant themes, issues, topics and/or problems are identified, and then unique holistic experiences created around these. Learning’s and insights begin to emerge and goals and plans of action are formulated. In bridging the gap between our clients theoretical goals/visions (map) and practical actions (territory), our role is first to collectively build a simple, workable structure between the map and the territory. Having done this we then invite our clients to cross this make-shift bridge, encourage and support their crossing, celebrate their successes and analyse their mistakes. Finally, we urge them to build bridges of their own and then joyously and timeously step aside before we begin to get in the way.

The PARAKLETOS service is very labour, time and cost efficient for the following reasons; creates powerful on-the-job learning and training opportunities; not limited to a few selected or advantaged individuals; minimal disruption to normal work duties and schedules; promotes proactive handling of pressing, problem and sensitive issues; and ensures substantial savings in transport, accommodation and facilitation fees.

Leaders and decision makers who either consciously ignore or ignorantly overlook the importance of LEARNING FOLLOW THROUGH are not only seriously compromising the learning impact of any intervention but are also being irresponsible and short sighted with their companies/shareholders money.

Dr Bruce Copley is a leading holistic animator whose unique presentations at major international business conferences & seminars throughout the world, consistently achieve the highest speaker ratings.

From University Professor to Education Maverick – having spent 24 years climbing to the top of formal education structures…

For further information:

P O Box 500, Pringle Bay, Cape Province, 7196, South Africa
Tel/Fax: (028) 273 8261/8966
Mobile : 083 459 9894
E-mail: bruce@aahalearning.com
Web Site: AAHA Learning & Associates